As mentioned last month, I’ve been working with Caesars’ Entertainment’s “Total Rewards” program, with 100+ grand prizes and 80,000+ other Total Prizes. Join the loyalty program for free, and then play the game that just launched. For some free plays on the game, enter in this code: 3RHK4G.

They have nearly 40 locations around the world, so it’s an ideal getaway… especially if you happen to win one of those prizes. In the middle of spring, we all feel like a vacation. So combine this worthwhile program with a travel mix, consisting of everything from dice-rolling (“Try Your Luck” and “What You Don’t Know About the Girl”) to lounging on a tropical oasis (“Stay Another Season” and “Acapulco”). Some names that were featured in the past, but still remain under-exposed, include the Leisure Society, Luxembourg, Scouting For Girls, Tap Tap, and Youth Group. Click on any of the preceding links to read the articles. Some, like Luxembourg and Tap Tap, date back to 2006!

It’s a topical way to revisit tracks that still get plenty of repeats half a decade later.

01. Air France – June Evenings
02. The Strokes – Try Your Luck
03. Avalanches – Stay Another Season
04. Roger Joseph Manning – What You Don’t Know About the Girl
05. Dennis Wilson – Moonshine
06. Leisure Society – Love’s Enormous Wings
07. Luxembourg – Pin Me Down
08. Weezer – Acapulco
09. Scouting For Girls – Mountains of Navaho
10. Tap Tap – Way to Go, Boy
11. Youth Group – Dead Zoo

I am honored to be an Influencer for the Total Rewards brand. Material and/or financial incentives may be received as a result of my involvement.

The post ‘Plot Your Escape’ Travel Mix appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

The Eversons are highlights in the fusion of past and present that is art-punk, a genre most recently propelled by names like Art Brut and The Rakes. Both groups debuted in 2005 with a thickly accented, spontaneously wry vocal wit backed by tremolo-heavy riffs and mechanical rhythms in a style akin to bands like Gang of Four, The Fall, and Talking Heads. The art-punk niche combines influences like these with a formula adherent of contemporary indie garage-rock; its hooks arise with a polish reminiscent of The Strokes or Arctic Monkeys, where shimmering instrumentals – predominantly guitar and bass – are restrained and accessible despite being concisely infectious, allowing vocalists the room to inject personality without overtaking the song’s immediate appeal.

In art-punk the frontman is aptly front-and-center, but the choice to ignore him in favor of such hooks still exists. Art Brut excelled at this on their debut Bang Bang Rock & Roll, where Eddie Argos filled excitable compositions with moments of Morrissey-inspired melancholy and vague cultural commentary a la Mark E. Smith. Still, one did not have to fall in love with Argos’ lyrical sentiments and/or vocal delivery to enjoy the album. No matter how clever the lyrics, the style of art-punk is reliant substantially on excitable accompaniments in addition to the frontman’s evident swagger.

Following this ideology is one of several reasons why The Eversons are so successful on their new self-titled EP. The five tracks here are full of the vibrancy found in early punk; initial simplicity evolves to intricate wit over guitar-heavy arrangements that take turns alternating lead with the singer. “I’m a Conservative” rides on Mark Turner’s vocals more than any other track, but the quality of the lyrics makes this disproportion allowable. There are plenty of excellent one-liners, as expected, but the true aspect of quality here is the varying degrees of interpretation. Like the best art-punk songs, it provides a narrative with a clear issue – this time being a glaringly overzealous separation in political parties around the world. Not much point in analyzing it lyric-by-lyric, since digesting these songs without bias is usually best. If you still don’t get the point about its surprisingly in-depth structure and numerous interpretations after listening, check out this fan-made one. Fun stuff.

While The Eversons are never lyrically dull, the strength of both “Hyacinth Girl” and “Boyfriend” rests in the excitable melodic content of both. The former is heavily reminiscent of The Rakes, with reflecting backing harmonies imitating the twangy guitar tremolo on point. “She’s my hyacinth girl in a floral dress,” Turner sings during the chorus, one of the EP’s most thoughtlessly enjoyable moments. It’s a love song, plain and simple, but that doesn’t mean the college-rock stations won’t eat it up. The same applies to “Boyfriend”, which fuses muted guitar chords with a bluesy sort of repeating progression that emerges every other chorus. “Now you’re the boyfriend after all,” Turner sings during the most memorable moment, the bridge which first appears at the mid-point and later serves as the conclusion.

The end of the EP pursues some more ambitious territory, particularly with how “Loser” melds both American and British styles of early ‘90s alt-rock. You have the snarling Brit-pop of acts like Supergrass, but with the sort of harmonious romanticism found on early Weezer records. The chorus, a repeating “you’re a loser”, is particularly representative of this. Of course The Eversons are from New Zealand, but many of their influences are British and American. Regardless, their sound is an excellent interpretation of rock, punk, and their different eras, including this one.

RIYL: Art Brut, The Rakes, The Fall, Talking Heads, Weezer, Devo, The Futureheads, Young Knives, The Cribs, Good Shoes, Little Man Tate, Maximo Park, Reverend and The Makers

The Eversons – Hyacinth Girl

The Eversons – Boyfriend

The Eversons – Loser

The Eversons – I’m a Conservative

Bandcamp / BUY

The post The Eversons appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

The fleeting guitar-pop of The Demos presents itself like a smörgåsbord of indie-rock influences. Pop pioneers like The Beatles and Brian Wilson can be heard in much of today’s music, but the prevalence of contrived imitation over infused creativity now prevents listeners from fully grasping their impact on a variety of pop/rock styles. The Demos’ breezy and bright sound puts throwback components like surf-pop harmonizing and chugging British Invasion guitar-rock on full display. They are able to do so within an intelligent blending of influenced genres that emerged later in time – like power-pop and indie-rock – and this makes listening to the New York-based duo is a titillating stylistic journey.

Although their most succinct comparison is to the evolutionary power-pop of Teenage Fanclub and Spoon, The Demos’ willingness to embrace an endless chain of influences is what makes their music so immediately accessible and memorable. So what separates The Demos from other recent groups bound by similar influences, like Rooney or Hot Hot Heat? Most importantly, The Demos are able to pay tribute to their influences without ripping them off. So while this may prevent them from ever reaching the Top 40, their album boasts a hell of a lot more creativity and replay value.

A local duo from Rochester, The Demos are bound to get some attention with their debut full-length, Lovely. Highlight “Meet at Night” immediately reeks of nostalgia; the first quarter of the verse – “I always wait while for the bus to pick me up” – recalls high-pitched ‘60s pop groups like The Zombies And The Left Banke. The transition to a more power-pop feel, like that of The Replacements and Teenage Fanclub, is prompted by both a cleverly infused jangle and a more somber vocal turn – “and take me downtown.” At 03:19 long, it is the second-longest track on Lovely, which does a stellar job of hosting twelve songs, nine of which are under two minutes. The duo recognize that if they are going to wear a bevy of renowned influences on their sleeves, there is no need to be overly ambitious by unnecessarily stretching out ideas. Lovely avoids any awkward moments whatsoever because of this commitment.

The infectiously upbeat “Impossible” resembles underrated British rockers Moose, who produced classics like “The Only Man in Town”. “Impossible” is a generally acoustic song during its verses, but expands dramatically during the hook-laden chorus. “But your eyes burn bright and it feels so right to be loved,” they sing, paving the way for a successfully dramatic bridge featuring string-synths and a trickling guitar riff; transitions like this throughout the album are generally concise and always memorable. The next track, “Don’t Wake Me Up Again”, follows a very similar formula; its chorus is backed by a whimpering string-synth, with a choral-like vocal accompaniment complementing a twangy guitar progression. While “Impossible” is more likely to earn new fans, its follow-up is more expansive than its two-minute length could possibly foretell.

With other gems – like the affably twee-like “I Might Have You” and the swiftly infectious “Can’t Win Me Over” (it’s easy to hear a little bit of Blur’s “Coffee and TV” in there) – rounding out Lovely, it is highly recommended for any fans of immediately accessible power-pop. And who isn’t a fan of that? Lovely is only $5 (a 44% discount) on GroopEase for a limited time, so be sure to pick it up.

RIYL: Teenage Fanclub, Moose, Spoon, The Replacements, Rooney, Blur, The Zombies, The Left Banke, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Jonathan Richman, Big Star, A.C. Newman, Pavement, The Strokes, Weezer

The Demos – Meet at Night

The Demos – Impossible

The Demos – Tell Me How It Feels

Official Site / MySpace / BUY

The post Lovely Demos appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Jake and Jamin Orrall specialize in fuzzy West Coast rock that plays best in a party atmosphere (or on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2). There is a vintage feel to the brothers’ guitar-and-drums lineup, forcing an emphasis on quality songwriting and stage presence; superfluous bells and whistles are not present to mask the occasional misstep. Fortunately for the Orral’s, their new album We Are the Champions has nothing to hide. It is a wonderfully refreshing throwback to early ‘90s power-pop and garage-rock. Their style possesses the same power-pop/surf-rock blend of Weezer up front, but often with a more aggressive take on variants of punk and noise-rock that bring influences like Sonic Youth, Jay Reatard, and Pavement into play. The most ambitious the duo get with production is via a guitar pedal or keyboard addition, which is a type of forgotten minimalism that aligns beautifully with their powerful songwriting and ready knack for hooks.

The brothers formed their project, Jeff the Brotherhood, when Jamin was in middle school and Jake was a sophomore in high school. They financed their first CD-R off early band profits, gathering enough money back home in Tennessee from $5-per-bootleg efforts to fund the effort. The boys’ father saw potential and brought some of his business savvy to the table at that point, though one can wonder how he felt when both his sons dropped out of college to pursue music full-time. Based on their recent hype and album (which is their best), he is probably more proud than pissed. After all, they play hundreds of shows per year and have aspirations of touring Japan, so it’s not like they’re slacking off. Jeff the Brotherhood are simply the epitome of quality DIY rock, representative of those whose genuine passion for music helps fuel an anti-label, do-it-yourself attitude. There are so many acts that slap on the DIY tag, yet embrace the first chance of corporate sponsorship that comes that way. It would be nice if more acts like Jeff the Brotherhood existed; they just want to get their music heard, and seem to care less about “the man”.

Sibling rivalries are unavoidable when on the road (which is why the duo always bring a mediator on tour), but there is certainly no doubting their chemistry when in the studio. “Endless Fire” is a gorgeous semi-ballad that would have fit seamlessly on Weezer’s classic Pinkerton. It is a frail and gentle effort compared to other tracks on the frenetic We Are the Champions, but its placement smack-dab in the middle of it provides a seamless breather between the post-rock intricacies of “Diamond Way” and bluesy guitar howls of “Ripper”. “Is it too late to think it isn’t over?” both brothers croon on “Endless Fire”, one reminiscent of a nasally Rivers Cuomo and the other higher in pitch – almost like a Steve Bays or Brad Nowell. The outro enveloping the final minute places a scraggly guitar solo over an airy organ, both of which fade out in a distorted whimper. It is one of the album’s most melodic efforts, even if the initial verse is too short. Conciseness is clearly something Jeff the Brotherhood value though, as not one song on We Are the Champions overstays its welcome.

Two standouts in particular, “Cool Out” and “Bummer”, are bound to give the duo some heavy notice. The latter brings back the Weezer feel, but now more aligned with the fuzzy punk influences of their debuting Blue album. “I can’t see through this dream,” is the line marking a chorus with an incredible build-up, with distorted guitar tremolos and increasingly furious percussion. “Cool Out” is just as great (especially the breathtaking final minute), albeit more in line with lo-fi revivalists like Wavves. Even better, “Shredder” is a no-frills take on old-school DIY punk that imaginatively adds a droning chiptune-like synth, while “Health and Strength” is a fascinating semi-acoustic effort with sitar and string samples that make it inarguably the most psychedelic-leaning effort on We Are the Champions. There are even some Celtic folk progressions hidden below the acoustic flaps, almost giving it a “The Battle of Evermore” sort of feel. It is a definite success, just like many of the efforts on We Are the Champions. This is the album that should put these talented brothers on the map.

RIYL: Weezer, Jay Reatard, Sonic Youth, Pavement, Sublime, Wavves, Ex-Models, Hagfish, Screaming Females, Turbo Fruits, Cheap Time, Jacuzzi Boys

Jeff the Brotherhood – Endless Fire

Jeff the Brotherhood – Health and Strength

Jeff the Brotherhood – Cool Out

Blog / MySpace / BUY

The post Jeff the Brotherhood appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Now 21 years old, David Pollack’s music continues to evolve. Often an age like this marks the beginning of an aspiring music career, but this NYC-based singer/songwriter has been at it for years already. I featured Pollack nearly four years ago when he was 18 and fronting a band called Play. Even at that point, the reception for his material was glowing. Tracks like “Rainbow Schemes” and “Get a Hold of You” garnered a very positive response in this site’s comments section alone, drawing comparisons to Weezer, Ozma, and other hook-filled alt-rock acts of the ‘90s and early ‘00s. Play disbanded in 2008 when Pollack went to college at the University of Vermont, but he continued writing songs. He joined the jazz vocal ensemble and an A-capella group, honing his already-amiable voice and keeping musically active. His native NYC kept calling though. He moved back last summer as a result, reuniting himself with a city and friends close to his comfort zone. This return to normalcy resulted in his first official release since 2006’s Play EP.

Pollack’s new EP, Out the Other Side, is the first under his name. It makes sense too; the songs are emotional and thought-provoking in a very personable format. Lo-fi songs that that “indicate the dark side of depression” place more emphasis on lyrics than his past material. Whereas Pollack’s past efforts would be very melodically inclined with somewhat forgettable lyrics, his evolution as an artist is occurring simultaneously with his maturity as an individual. Even though he never had issues turning emotions into melodies, it is now apparent that Pollack is also able to transpose his emotions into words without the slightest touch of melodramatic desperation. Not surprisingly, the musical accompaniments follow suit and make for his richest material to date. His melodic chops remain the same – strong. And his lyrical wits and structural tendencies have improved, resulting in an even more promising outlook for his musical future than when he was 18. Rarely does an artist’s potential increase with age, but Pollack appears to be an exception.

As he grows as an artist through his solo material, his talents continue to spread to other projects as well. In addition to his solo work, Pollack has spent most of his time recently with his new band, Bridges. He and friend Steele Kratt formed the five-piece last year, playing a natural progression of Pollack’s interest in ’90s alternative. It is more in the infectious vein of Play than his emotive folk as a solo artist. The difference simply shows off his diversity as a songwriter. Bridges’ new EP will be released shortly, but in the meantime one of its tracks – “Again and Again” – gives us a nice taste of what to expect. This time around, bands like The Wrens, Teenage Fanclub, and Guided by Voices are more apt comparisons than Weezer, even if emphasis on power-pop and some punk is still there. As far as more recent comparisons go, the soaring guitar work of British Sea Power is not too far off from their sound. In “Again and Again”, the suitable amount of distorted rhythm guitars and its lead twang-y counterpart mixing infectiously over Steele Kratt’s succinctly tight drumming. “I wake up from my slumber,” Pollack kicks it off with subdued restraint, before yelping “clock tells me it’s a quarter-to-three!” The chorus is just as impulsively excitable, capped off by several band members shouting “again and again and again!” It is a damn catchy track that should make any alt-rock fan excited for Bridges’ upcoming release.

“Again and Again” is infectiously distorted enough to prevent Pollack’s lyrical sentiments about daily monotony to dominate the track. His solo material, on the other hand, emphasizes wordplay and emotion with prominence. “The Right Night” is one of the finest examples of Pollack’s development as both a songwriter and lyricist. Touched with the delicate touch of horns (via Harry Hipwell), it utilizes the brass with grand proficiency. So many artists, especially young ones, tend to over-use an instrument simply for its novelty. Pollack, though, clearly knows how to write for a specific instrument; it is particularly useful in a genre like this. There are moments where Elliott Smith, DeVotchKa, and Smog might come to mind as influences, but “The Right Night” is clearly an individualistic piece. “It only happens when the stars collide, that’s what happens when you feel high,” he sings over a beautifully arranged acoustic melody. “That’s when you found your happy place.” The depth on Out the Other Side exceeds Pollack’s previous work – which was impressive in its own right – in the seamless accommodation of his stirring arrangements and the genuinely expressive pathos it accompanies. The expansive “Why Not Now?” blends lovable lo-fi alt-rock with bluesy stream-of-consciousness sentiments, producing a result just as successful but with added vigor and intricacy. Especially based on his recent material with Bridges and as a solo artist, David Pollack’s future continues to look bright.

David Pollack and his band Bridges will be playing tonight, 9PM, at Sullivan Hall.

RIYL: Weezer, Ozma, Built to Spill, British Sea Power, Teenage Fanclub, The Wrens, Guided by Voices, Archers of Loaf, Sublime, The Kinks, Sebadoh, The Strokes, Paul Simon, Pavement

Bridges – Again and Again

David Pollack – The Right Night

David Pollack – Why Not Now?

David Pollack – Official Site / Bridges’ MySpace / BUY

The post David Pollack’s Bridges appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Bias is rarely a good thing, but if you are a quality artist from New Jersey then you are certainly likely to get my attention. It helps even more if you perform regularly at The Stone Pony, a trademark Jersey venue that my parents frequented when they were in their teens. My teenage self experienced the same venue about twenty years later, with my parents’ tales of seeing Springsteen there adding notably to one of my first show experiences. Situated literally across from the ocean, The Stone Pony has a history known to any long-time fan of rock music. It keeps going strong as well; I have seen a variety of artists there, from Jersey-based Southside Johnny to those based across the pond like Bloc Party (who played a terrific show on the outside stage a few years ago). So essentially, when there is childhood nostalgia AND quality music present, then you can understand my leanings. I would not worry about overriding bias though, as posting about a poor or mediocre band from my home state only does Jersey’s scene an injustice.

Status Green are becoming well-known around the Jersey and NYC area, playing well-received and sold-out shows at The Stone Pony and CBGB’s. The four-piece has also received some notice beyond the east coast as an opening act for more mainstream acts like Blink-182, Weezer, and Bon Jovi. Status Green’s own music does not play like expired ‘90s wash-outs though. Their crisp indie-rock instead recalls acts with modern relevance like The French Kicks, Phoenix, or The Walkmen. Opening for acts like Blink-182 and Weezer likely netted them quite a few fans, but with the release of their new album Cheap Sunglasses I doubt the opening-act routine will remain for long.

The Asbury Park-based quartet have already shown their main-act potential by winning several contests, one of which gave them an appearance on a late night show and another few which gave them opening spots for Blink-182 and Creed (yeah, that Creed). Comprised of multi-instrumentalist Lou Montesano, guitarist Chris Marino, drummer Mike Montalto and bassist Russell Tolas, Status Green are no strangers to big-time shows, even if that meant playing for free. “We went across the country after we did our last album, and it was hit-or-miss,” Montesano explained of their first national tour, “playing for no money in front of no people at times.” He says their last tour resulted in them being $4000 in debt, but asserts that the fun, experience, and exposure were worth it. After all, like most artists – whether it be a musician, director, or painter – getting in debut over fruitful artistic endeavors is simply part of the process. Everyone cannot – or does not desire to – be picked up by a talent agent who hands their career path to a corporation. Even with debt, Status Green certainly show through their music and presence that they have a patient ideology that prevails in situations like these. It should enable them to wade through the masses of mediocre Jersey rock bands and emerge triumphantly.

Cheap Sunglasses is a nice step forward for a band seeking prominence with a style that is neither innovative nor very distinctive. Their experimental tendencies are limited, but their tightly infectious songwriting is not. Their frequent residency at The Stone Pony – which is where they held the release party for Cheap Sunglasses in February – aligns with many of the venue’s artists, who do not require much attentiveness to enjoy. Spontaneous stage presence and perky melodies define Status Green, who are one of those breezily enjoyable indie-rock bands that sound great on a beach, beer in hand.

Perhaps their recent leap forward was brought on by their last trip to SXSW, where the band broke down in Amarillo for three days in what Montesano called a “crazy” time that felt if “like Jack Kerouac wrote our tour.” Everything went wrong apparently. But he went on to call the suffering “good” and “inspiring”, which is a commendable attitude to have when you are playing free shows to a sparse audience. The band has evolved into sold-out, paid shows for the most part though, and as evidenced by the popularity of the acts they opened for it looks to stay this way. With the success of Cheap Sunglasses, being in debut is hopefully a thing of the past for Status Green. If their music can get in the right hands it should only be positive from here.

“Denver After Dawn” is a lively and animated gem that showcases Status Green in the best light possible. The nonchalant quality of Montesano’s vocals should immediately recall the likes of Julian Casablancas and Britt Daniel, whose production of crisp indie-rock is fairly unrivaled as far as groups from the past decade go. The firm guitar progressions glide under a series of twinkling bells and synths that, along with Montesano’s enjoyably lackadaisical delivery, form an extremely radio-friendly song. As long as the traditional structure and linear lyrics do not bore you, it is should be absurdly easy to have this song on repeat for some time. Apart from the unrivaled narrative and songwriting abilities of Springsteen, this is the type of stuff one should be accustomed to at The Stone Pony. Status Green are one of the best bands from this laid-back niche , and as a Strokes-French Kicks hybrid they produce an extremely enjoyable style of indie-rock that glistens with catchy guitar jangles and tightly concise use of keys and synth. Really just some polished, infectious stuff.

While “Denver After Dawn” should be a hit for the band, that is not to say the rest of Cheap Sunglasses is filler. “Circles” follows a more punk-oriented edicate, which in the bass-heavy verse resembles British indie-rock groups like Bloc Party and the Arctic Monkeys clearly influenced by punk. The chorus finds a less effective flurry of guitars and keys than in “Denver After Dawn”, whose chorus was clearly less forced in terms of attempting to incorporate instrumental variation. The succession of synths around the two-minute mark provides for some nice variation, with a bit of The Killers’ influence coming into play, but is severely overshadowed by the subsequent track on the album, “Denver After Dawn”. Another notable is the nicely paced “Sting My Soul”, which evolves from a reggaeton-like guitar progression to a dance-laden chorus reminiscent of Southern All Stars with its guitar-synth incorporation. I like this one as well, along with most of the efforts on Cheap Sunglasses. While the lack of structural variation or stylistic innovation may turn off some listeners, those who appreciate great songwriting and polished production will not be disappointed.

RIYL: Spoon, The Strokes, French Kicks, Phoenix, Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys, Weezer, The Stills, Rogue Wave, Ambulance LTD, The Joggers, The Helio Sequence, Snoweden, The Walkmen, Earlimart, Foreign Born, Tapes ‘n Tapes, Chin Up Chin Up, Longwave, Holiday Shores

Status Green – Denver After Dawn

Status Green – Sting My Soul

Status Green – Circles

StatusGreenCheapSunglassesLP

Official Site

MySpace

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The post Status Green appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

There is something very likable about Slothbear, even in addition to their name. Their sound recalls the best parts of vintage college-rock, which is presented with clarity through the band’s surprisingly adept methods of self-production. The feel of restraint that is often associated with home recordings is absent on Slothbear’s debut EP Qids, and instead a feeling of spontaneity is present that in every way recalls something nostalgic for the 20-something crowd. The band’s four members, who are just that, are four good friends based out of Long Island. Their demeanor at this point is wonderfully playful and in no way indicative of a band with unharnessed ambition, joking that “they hope to get a 9.2 on Pitchfork” for the reason of not having to go back to Stony Brook University in the fall. This is humorous enough and probably said tongue-in-cheek, but it is also a rather apt depiction of the general thought process for college-aged bands on the heels of a debut they were very dedicated to. In the case of a release like Qids, where the band’s ferocity and prevalent melodic abilities are on display, one could easily see why they would rather pursue a musical career for the time being instead of sitting in lecture halls. Unlike many other groups in their vein, they actually have a legitimate case for the pursuit.

Formed in 2008, Slothbear are still growing into their own skin after steadily improving the past two years. Early recordings, from what I heard, were typical of a new band attempting to uncover the strengths and cloak their weaknesses. The growth exhibited on Qids makes me very excited for the band’s future, which seems somewhat stabilized by a mixture of creative and technical minds. Qids was produced by one of the band’s members, Doug Bleek, who is graduating from NYU with a degree in recorded music this spring. He took care of the engineering and mixing, while Craig Heed, Josh Ginsberg, and Ian Miniero refined the group’s sound over the period of a year-and-a-half. In that time, sharing the stage with bands like Real Estate and earning the approvals of Mike Watt and Craig Finn were a few of their accolades. They even almost got their song featured in MLB 2k10, and their exclusion is somewhat surprising since many of Slothbear’s tracks are better than anything on that game’s soundtrack. Nonetheless, the consideration of a band without an official release for a major video game is representative of the general perception Slothbear provide, which is that of hefty potential being steadily fulfilled through a sound that satisfies, plain and simple, without any smoke and mirrors.

“White Christmas” in no way recalls the serene snowfalls of winter, instead offering an infectious take on holiday-themed mishaps that finds guitar licks oozing with spontaneity and vocal performances abundant with energy. Their youthful energy is predictably one of Slothbear’s biggest allures, but it is their ability to manage their songwriting within this inexperienced ideology that impresses me most. “Slash the polar bear, make off with the reindeer,” states a chorus complemented by the dynamically collaborative vocals of Heed and Ginsberg. “Yank the cord, emasculate. There will be no white Christmas.” The hooks throughout the album are heavily prevalent in this manner, with playful verses extending into ignitions of dual-vocals, insertions of additional guitar progressions, and imminent percussive intensity. The songs make do entirely with guitars, bass, and drums, which along with this compatibly vintage style of songwriting is bound to bring up comparisons to Guided by Voices, Television, and Sebadoh.

The vocals on Qids are unconventionally melodic and somewhat similar to Tom Verlaine or Isaac Brock in their delivery. They show no hesitation to flaunt an abrupt snarl or impulsive spoken-word segment, which under any other style of instrumentation may have faltered. The influences here are so immediate though that it comes across as cohesive thanks to prior recognition, though tracks like “Don’t Taunt a Tiger” blends a few of these together to create something special. When the “away-ay-yay-ay-yay” kicks into the chorus, the song resembles slick power-pop in the vein of (old-school) Weezer. The chorus on the other hand, with its repetition being guided by a bridge of intensifying percussion, sounds a bit like lo-fi electric folk in the vein of Dan Bejar (at least when they comment on Tatiana’s martyr status). Qids finds several other favorable cuts as well, like “Spacey”. This is an interesting stream-of-conscious spur over glistening guitar progressions that excel in their arpeggio format, somewhat avant-garde for Slothbear but still lovably accessible like the rest of their efforts. Songs like “White Christmas” show a lot of this in a nostalgic sense, while others like “Don’t Taunt a Tiger” is representative of creative fusion at work. Both are just as enjoyable, and Slothbear certainly have a bright future in furthering their creativity while retaining a sound that is already familiarly enjoyable.

Download the album in its entirety for free here.

RIYL: Guided by Voices, Television, Times New Viking, Sonic Youth, Apples in Stereo, Psychedelic Horseshit, Sebadoh, Charalambides, Weezer, Real Estate

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Slothbear – Don’t Taunt a Tiger

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Slothbear – White Christmas

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Slothbear – PA Kids

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Official Blog

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The post Slothbear Had Qids appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.